Emergency Supplemental Meal Program Details

Berkshire South Regional Community Center announces Nourishing Neighbors, a new supplemental community meal program running for eight weeks and beginning Wednesday, Apr. 22, 2020.

Through Nourishing Neighbors Berkshire South will distribute 500 restaurant-prepared cold to-go meals each Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. with the help of a volunteer team. Meal recipients will drive up to a non-contact distribution system in the circle of the front lot at the community center.

Home-bound community members may make a reservation for delivery by writing to meals@berkshiresouth.org. Delivery will be available as long as the Center has volunteer drivers to deliver. All meals will be available on a first come, first serve basis.

Jenise Lucey, executive director of Berkshire South, said “We are honored at Berkshire South to be able to continue to serve our mission, a pillar of which is to enhance the health and social well-being of the residents of the Southern Berkshires.”

“Berkshire South has always been open to all,” Lucey added, “regardless of ability to pay, and Nourishing Neighbors is another way we continue that long tradition.”

The program was funded in large part by a co-led team at the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and the Berkshire United Way through their COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund for Berkshire County, which provides flexible resources to 501c3 organizations in the region working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus and the economic consequences of this outbreak.

“During these challenging times, making sure that children and families are able to meet their basic needs is critical and Nourishing Neighbors is a great example of a community coming together to provide safe and easy access to food,” shared Candace Winkler, president and CEO of Berkshire United Way.

“We love the model of hiring restaurants to prepare meals for individuals and families in needs, it’s a win-win. You get to support a local business while providing a safety net for community members.”

Community members who wish to donate to this effort to nourish our neighbors, should visit berkshiresouth.org. All funds raised will be used to purchase food and supplies for the program.

(press release sent to WSBS from Berkshire South for online and on air use)